Automatic racking apparatus



April 8, 1958 J. L. FOLLY v 2,829,477

AUTOMATIC RACKINIG` APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1April 8,A 1958 .1. L. FoLLY AUTOMATIC RACKTNG APPARATUS Filed March 251954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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April 8, 1958 J. l.. FOLLY AUTOMATIC RACKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed March 25 1954 Jazl IL. Zac/MJL UnitedStates Patent O AUTOMATICRACKNG APPARATUS John L. Folly, Lancaster, Pa., assigner to RadioCorporation `of America, a corporation of Delaware Application March 25,1954, Serial No. 418,510

11 Claims. (Cl. 53--16tl) This invention relates to machines for theautomatic production of parts and particularly to devices forautomatically receiving and holding individual parts in orderly array asthey are produced. t

In the mass production of parts, such as coiled wire structures for usein electron tubes for example, it has been a practice to collect thefinished parts from a parts making machine in a random fashion andwithout regard to any particular orientation. Such collection may beaccomplished by allowing the finished parts to fall free into areceptacle capable of holding a plurality of such parts. The parts mustbe removed Vfrom the receptacle and separated from each other beforethey can be used or subjected to further processing.

Where the finished parts tend to become entangled with each other or aredelicate and` easily damaged or both, considerable time is consumed inremoving them from the receptacle and separating them from each other.The removal of coiled structures, of the type referredito, from a commonreceptacle is a delicate operation which must be done by hand. Suchstructures include a coiled end portion and another end portioncomprising rectilinear legs. The leg end portions tend to becomeentangled with the coiled end portion of other coiled structures and thecoiled end portions tend to become entangled with each other. Suchentanglement requires care and skill in separating the coiled structureswithout deforming or mutilating them.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention toprovide a means forreceiving parts in spaced relation to each other, thus preventingentanglement of such parts.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the manual separationand incident mutilation of such parts by making the parts individuallyaccessible.

Another problem inherent in the random reception of parts from a partsmaking machine as described above is that further automatic handling ofthe parts cannot be effected without some manual preparatory operation.

Accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide for theuniform orientation of parts as they are received from the parts makingmachine to facilitate further automatic handling.

An additional problem arises from the fact that parts received in acommon receptacle are unprotected from damage which might result fromcontact with each other or from accidental contact of other kinds.

Therefore, it is another object of this invention to provide apparatusfor receiving and storing parts in individually protected array.

Still another problem results from random reception of parts in that itis `diiiicult to obtain a representative sample of the parts produced bythe parts making machine over a period of time due to the interminglingof the parts with each other. Accurate and efficient quality controlover the machine is thus frustrated.

Thus it is still another object of this invention to facili- 2,829,477`Patented Apr.` 8, 1958 "ice Z tate the sampling inspection of finishedparts by making them readily accessible in groups or individually.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a means forautomatically stopping the parts making machine if the parts do notconform to certain maximum tolerances.

@ne form of apparatus embodying this invention includes a source ofparts or Workpieces, which may be the ejecting portion of a coil windingmachine; a reservoir of workpiece receiving means such as racks; meansfor moving ,the workpiece receiving means under the source otworkpieces; a tunneling means` between the source of workpieces and theworkpiece receiving means to guide the workpieces to a predeterminedposition on the workpiece receiving means, and means for collecting andstoring a plurality of workpiece receiving means after they havereceived their portion of workpieces.

The workpiece receiving `means may take the form of racks havingrecesses formed in their upper surfaces of slightly llarger size thanthe workpiece to be received. The lower surface of the racks may havegear teeth formed therein to allow them to be moved in a longitudinaldirection by a co-acting gear wheel.

The reservoir of workpiece receiving means may be a magazine containingthe above described racks one on top of the other. The bottom rack beingfree to move longitudinally out of the magazine and out from under theother racks.

The means for moving the racks may be one or more gear wheels positionedso as to engage the gear teeth in the lower surfaces of the racks andbeing in working contact with the bottom bar in the above describedmagazine. The drive gear is caused to rotate by power derived from thecoil winding machine aforementioned, thus giving a longitudinal motionto the bottom rack. The bottom rack moves along a bed and between guidesthereon which orient it with the ejecting portion of the coil Windingmachine causing each of the recesses` in the upper surface of the racksto be brought directly under such ejection portion in succession.

The tunneling means may take the form of a drop tube having a taperedbore and positioned to receive Workpieces from the coil winding machineat the enlarged portion of the bore and discharge them into the recessesin the racks from the restricted portion of the bore.

The racks continue to move longitudinally down the bed after receiving afull load of workpieces until they come to the collecting and storingmeans. The collecting and storing means may comprise cams which arepowered by the motion of the racks themselves. The cams cause the racksto be ejected laterally ott the bed and onto a `rack receiving meanssuch as a tray, each successive rack completing the ejection of the rackimmediately `preceding it.

The invention is more completely described in connection with theappended four sheets of drawings in which like numerals denote likeparts and wherein:

Fig. l is a view in elevation of an apparatus embodying this invention,for automatically receiving the output of a filament coil Windingmachine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, with certain ofthe parts omitted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the drive and loading portions of theapparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the ejecting and storing portion ofthe apparatus shownin Figs. l and 2.

Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section, of an end portion of one of theracks used in this embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the workpieces to be received bythe apparatus of this embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the drop tube for guiding.

`the workpieces of this embodiment of the invention into the racks shownin Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a view taken along line 8--5 of Fig. 3 of the drive mechanismofthe apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 9 is a View taken along line 9--9 of Fig. 1 showing guide'membersin contact with a rack after the rack has received workpieces.

Referring to Fig. 1 the embodiment of the invention that hasbeen chosenfor illustration is apparatus adapted to receive the output or adouble-helical iiiarnentcoil winding machine 11. Briefly the coilwinding machine 11 operates as follows: A reel 13 of tungsten wire (e.g. .003 inch in diameter, for example) is mounted in operative relationto the coil winding machine 1l. Wire 15 from the coil is threadedthrough a wire holding device 17 which maintains a constant pressure onthe wire 15, a short piece of the wire projecting beyond the wireholding device 17. A pincher arm 19, movably positioned opposite thewire holding device 17, is caused to move toward the wire holding device17 and grasp the short piece of wire projecting therefrom. The pincherarm 19 then moves back to its original position pulling a length of wire21 through the wire holding device 17. A coil winding die 23 is locatedimmediately under-the path of pincher arm 19 so that the length of wire2l is trailed across it by the pincher arm 19. A wire cutting deviceadjacent to the wire holding device 17 cuts ott the length of wire assoon as the pincher arm 19 has reached the extent of its travel and thelength of wire 21 falls across the coil winding die 23. A coil windingmandrel 25 positioned directly over the coil winding die 23 forces thelength of wire 21 through the coil winding die 23 as the pincher arm 19releases it. The wire is formed into a double helical coil with axiallyextending rectilinear legs and drops free of the bottom of the coilwinding die 23.

The apparatus of this embodiment of the invention is designed to receiveeach of such coils as it drops free of the coil winding die 23 and placethem in spaced array with respect to each other. Brietly this isaccomplished by automatically receiving each of the coils in a separaterecess in racks containing a plurality of such recesses.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, this apparatus provides a magazine 27 forholding a plurality of racks 29 having coil receiving recesses in theirupper surfaces and gear teeth 31 in their lower surfaces. Two gearwheels 33 and 35 are provided to drive the racks 29 longitudinally alonga bed 37 and under the coil winding die 23. A drop tube 39 is positionedbetween the coil winding die 23 and the racks 29 as they travel alongthe bed 37. The drop tube 39 is adapted to receive the coils as theydrop free of the coil winding die 23 and direct them into recesses inthe racks 29. The racks 29 continue their longitudinal travel until theyreach the end portion of the bed 38 where two cams 41 and 43 are causedto turn by the longitudinal motion of the racks 29 forcing the rackslaterally off the end portion of the bed 37 and onto a tray 45 capableof holding a plurality of racks 29.

The invention will be more clearly understood by a detailedconsideration of each of the elements of the apparatus of thisembodiment and of the workpiece which is to be received thereby.

The workpiece Referring to Fig. 6, the workpiece to be received by theapparatus illustrated is a double helical ilament coil 47. The coil 47consists of a coiled end portion 49 and another end portion comprisingtwo rectilinear legs 51 or leads. The coil is produced from a singlelength of wire 21. (e. g. tungsten for example) by a coil windingmachine 11 and is ejected from the machine vertically anna-477 with itscoiled end portion 49 at the bottom. The coil is ejected downward fromthe coil winding die 23 of the coil winding machine 11.

The rack This apparatus is adapted to receive each coil as it drops fromthe coil winding machine 11 in a separate recess in a rack 29 having aplurality of such recesses. Referring to Fig. 5, the racks 29 comprisean elongated 1oar 53 composed of a rust proof material (e. g. linemizedBakelite, for example). Regularly spaced recesses 55 may be drilled inthe upper surface of the bar 53. The recesses 55 are slightly larger indiameter than the coils 47 to be received and may be countersunk at 57to provide easy entrance for the coils 47. The depth of the recesses 55is sutlicient to accommodate the entire coiled end portions 49 of thecoils 47. But the rectilinear legs 51 of the coils 47 will project outof the recesses 55 thus providing for easy removal of the coils 47 fromthe recesses 55 by gripping the projecting legs 51.

The lower surface of the bar 53 is provided with gear i teeth 31 adaptedto mesh with a gear wheel to impart longitudinal motion to the bar 53.

The magazine A magazine 27 is provided for holding a pluralityofhorizontally oriented racks in vertically extending array. Referring toFigs. l and 2, the magazine 27 consists of metallic strips 59 weldedtogether to form a latticed channel capable of holding the plurality ofracks 29 one on top of the other with their gear teeth 31 extendingdownward. The upper end of the magazine 27 is open to allow theintroduction of additional racks 29 as needed. The lower end of themagazine 27 is partially closed by a bed portion 61. A gear wheel 33,with which the gear teeth 31 of the bottom rack 63 are meshed, closesthe remainder of the lower end. An opening 65 is provided in themagazine 27 adjacent one end of the bottom rack 63 to allow the bottomrack to move longitudinally out of the magazine 27 and out from underthe remainder of the racks 29 in the magazine 27. When the bottom rack63 is moved longitudinally out of the magazine 27 the remainder of theracks will descend by force of gravity and the rack that rested upon thebottom rack 63 will take the place of the bottom rack 63. The magazine27 is provided with an electric switch 67 which will automatically shutoit the apparatus when only one rack is left in the magazine 27.

The drive mechanism The racks 29 are moved out of the magazine 27 andalong the bed 37 by two gear wheels 33 and 35. Referring to Figs. l and2, one of the gear wheels 33 closes a portion of the lower end of themagazine 27 thus being in working contact with the bottom rack 63 in themagazine 27. The other gear wheel 3S is adjacent the coil windingmachine 11, axially parallel with the rst gear wheel 33 and positionedto engage the gear teeth of the racks 29 as they move along the bed 37.The two gear wheels 33 and 35 are mechanically connected to rotate inunison by a chain system.

Referring to Fig. 3, the gear wheels 33 and 35 are caused to rotate bypower derived from the coil winding machine 11. One end of a turnbuckle69 is mechanically connected to the pincher arm 19 driving member of thccoil winding machine 11. The other end of the turnbuckle 69 ismechanically connected to a pawl 71 and ratchet wheel 73 device, theratchet wheel 73 being disposed in an axially vertical position.Referring to Fig. 8, the axle 75 of the ratchet wheel 73 serves as theaxle of a trst bevel gear 77. Thus any rotation of the ratchet wheel 73is transmitted directly to the bevel gear 77. A second bevel gear 79,meshed with the first bevel gear 77, is caused to rotate. The axle 81 ofthe second bevel gear 79 serves also as the axle 81 of the gear wheel 35adjacent the coil winding machine 11 and the chain sprocket 83associated therewith. A chain 85 connecting the chain sprocket 83associated with the gear wheel 35 adjacent the coil winding machine 11and the chain sprocket 87 associated with the gear wheel 33 under themagazine 27 causes both gear wheels 33 and 35 to rotate in unison and inaccordance with the movements of the pincher arm 19 ofthe coil windingmachine 11. The ratchet wheel 73, andthe bevel gears 77 and 79 areadapted to transform each completed movement of the pincher arm 19 ofthe coil winding machine 11 into rotary movement sullicient to cause thegear wheels 33 and 35 to move the racks 29 a distance equal to thedistance 89 between the centers of the recesses 55 in the racks 29. Theracks 29 are only in working contact with the-gear wheels 33 and 35 atthe beginning of their travels being moved along the bed 37 after losingcontact with the gear wheels 33 and 35 by end to end contact betweensucceeding racks 29, one of such succeeding racks being in workingcontact with the gear wheels 33 and 35.

The bed and the guides Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the bed 37 comprisesa flat metal surface interrupted to allow the gear teeth 91 of the twogear wheels 33 and 35 to project through it and engage the gear teeth 31of the racks 29. The bed 37 has mounted thereon a plurality of rollerguides for contacting the sides and top of the racks 29 `as they passalong the bed 37, thus guiding them in apredetermined path. Referring toFigs. 3 and 8, the roller guides take the various forms of stationaryvertical roller guides 93, spring loaded vertical roller guides 95,horizontal roller guides 97, and horizontal channel-roller guides 99.Referring to Fig, 3, the stationary vertical roller guides 93 arecylinders having their axes vertically disposed and xedly positioned inrolling contact with the sides of the racks 29 as they pass. Most of thestationary vertical roller guides 93 are positioned in pairs to contactopposite sides of the racks 29 at variouspoints along the bed 37.However, at points adjacent to the coil winding machine 11 stationaryvertical roller guides 93 are positioned along the side of the bed 37opposite the coil winding machine and spring loaded vertical rollerguides 95 are positioned opposite the stationary vertical roller guides93 along the side of the bed 37 adjacent to the coil winding machine.The springs 96 of the spring loaded vertical roller guides 95 cause thespring loaded vertical roller guides 95 to bear against the side of therack passing therebetween, thus forcing the rack iirmly against thestationary vertical roller guide 93 and insuring accurate alignment ofthe recesses in the racl; with the drop tube 39.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 3 the horizontal roller guides 97 are cylindershaving their axes horizontally disposed and are positioned to makerolling contact with the upper surfaces of the racks 29. Springs 9S areincluded in the mounting of the horizontal roller guides 97' to causethem to bear downward on the racks as they pass thereunder.

Referring to Fig. 9, the horizontal channel-roller guides 99 arespool-like rollers mounted with their axes horizontally disposed. zontalroller guides 97. The width of the channel 101 in the horizontalchannel-roller guides 99 is slightly greater than the diameter of therecesses 55 in the racks 29. The horizontal channel-roller guides 99 arepositioned by 'l'hey are spring loaded as are the horii spacers 100 sothat the flanges 102 of theguides 99 cont Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3,the drop tube 39 is positioned in operative contact with the coilwinding die 23 of the coil winding machine and fixedly positioned overthe path of the racks 29 along the bed 31 by a metallic support 1013.The recesses 55 in the racks 27 are axially aligned with the drop tube39, one at a time, due to the action of the roller guides and the drivemechanism. Referring to Fig. 7, the drop tube comprises two telescopingtubes 105, 107, having their axes vertically disposed. The inner tube105 of the two being rigidly positioned over the bed 37 by a metallicsupport 103 so that its lower end is immediately over the racks 29 asthey move along the bed 37. The inner tube 105 is of metalliccomposition and has a tapered bore 111, the restricted portion of thebore 111 being at the lower end of the inner tube 105. An aperture 113is formed in the wall of the lower end portion of the inner tube 105,opening in the direction of travel of the racks 29, to allow therectilinear legs 51 of the coils 47 to pass out of the inner tube 105when the rack 27 is moved.

The second tube 107 movably surrounds the upper end portion of the innertube 105 and comprises an electrically insulating tube 107 having ametallic upper end 109. A helical spring 115 surrounds the inner tube,one end resting on the metallic support 103 and the other bearing on thelower end of the insulating tube 107 tending to cause the metallic endthereof 109 to project beyond the upper end of the inner tube 105.

The metallic upper end 109 of the second tube 107 is in physical contactwith the lower surface of the coil winding die 23 of the coil windingmachine 11, such contact being firmly maintained by the pressure ofthehelical spring 115 against the second tube 107. The metallic upper end109 `of the second tube 107 has a larger tapered bore 117 than thetapered bore 111 of the inner tube 105.

The inner tube 105 and the metallic upper end 109 of the second tube 107are electrically insulated from each other by the second tube 107. Themetallic upper end 109 of the second tube 107 is provided with anelectrical terminal 119 to which may be attached one lead of anelectrical device for shutting off the apparatus. The other lead of thedevice for shutting off the apparatus being effectively connected to theinner tube 105.

The rack collecting and storing mechanism The longitudinal motion of theracks 29 continues after they have received coils 47 from the drop tube39 and until they reach the end portion of the bed 38. Two cams 41 and43 positioned along the path of the racks on the end portion o f the bed38 are actuated by the longitudinal movement of the racks 29 transmutingit into lateral movement of the racks. Thus, the racks 29 are caused tomove laterally olf the end portion of the bed 3S and away from the cams41 and 43, onto a tray 45 capable of holding a plurality of the racks inhorizontally extending array. The cams are mounted on the end portion ofthe bed 33 on a vertical axis and free to rotate in a horizontal planeparallel to the bed. The cams 41 and 43 are mechanically connectedtogether by a chain and sprocket system (shown at 121 in Fig. l) so thatthey will rotate synchronously when `either cam 41 or 43 is actuated.

Referring to Fig. 4, the cams 41 and 43 are shown in solid lines in theposition they assume upon collection of a lirst rack 123 shown in dottedlines. A :second` rack 125 is shown as it comesinto Contact with thefirst cam The first cam 41 has two identical lobes disposed 180"` fromeach other about the axis of the cam 41, each lobe having two activesurfaces 127 and 129. The receiving surfaces 127 of the lobes of thefirst cam 41, with one of which the end of second rack 125 is Vincontact, re-` ceives longitudinal motion fromthe rack and transmutes it'into self-rotation. The receiving surfaces 127r are arcs of a circledesigned so that the end of the rack 125 will be tangential at variouspoints therein throughout the rotation of the cam 41, thus preventingany appreciable lateral motion from being transmitted to the rack 125 bythe receiving surface 127 of the cam 41.

The transmitting surfaces 129 of the lobes of the irst cam 41, one ofwhich is shown in contact with the side of the irst rack 123 (shown indotted lines), are arcs of a circle designed so that the side of thefirst rack 123 will be tangential at various points therein throughoutthe rotation of the cam 41. Thus lateral movement is transmitted to therst rack 123 with a minimum of longitudinal movement.

The second rack 125 moves longitudinally after coming into contact withthe lirst cam 41 rotating it to the position shown by the dotted lines.The second cam 43 is rotated synchronously with the iirst cam 41, by thechain and sprocket system 121, assuming the new position indicated bydotted lines, the second rack 125 continuing to move longitudinallyuntil it comes into contact therewith.

The second cam 43 has two identical lobes disposed 180 from each otherabout the axis of the cam 43 each lobe having two active surfaces 131and 133. The receiving surfaces 131 of the lobe of the second cam 43 arerectilinear and parallel to provide a clearance gap in the second cam 43to accommodate the rack 1.25 during the rotation of the cam 43. Thetransmitting surfaces 133 of the lobes of the second cam 43 arecornposed of arcs of two circles having different radii. The arcs arecombined to form a continuous surface such that lateral movement may betransmitted to a rack, during the rotation of the cam 43 through a largearc, with a minimum of longitudinal movement of the rack. The side ofthe rack to which lateral movement is being imparted is tangential tothe transmitting surface 133 of the second cam 43 throughout therotation of the second cam 43.

The second rack 125 moves longitudinally after coming into contact withthe receiving surface 131 of the second cam 43, rotating it to theposition shown by solid lines. lt should be noted that due to theidentical form of the two lobes of each cam only 180 of rotation isnecessary to return the cams 41 and 43 to the positions indicated by thesolid lines, although the lobes of the cams are reversed thereby. Thefirst cam 41 rotates synchronously with the rotation of the second cam43 as induced `by the second rack 125. The second rack 125 is caused tomove laterally by the rotation of both cams 41 and 43 until it assumesthe position heretofore occupied by the lirst rack 123 (as shown by thedotted lines) pushing the iirst rack 123 laterally further onto the tray45.

The tray 45 has three walls 135 which are high enough to extend Ibeyondthe ends of the projecting legs 51 of the coils in the racks 29. Aportion of the wall adjacent to the second cam 43 is cut away, a switcharm 137 taking the place of such side portion. The switch arm 137 ispivoted at 139 and spring loaded to remain in position unless one of theracks 29 should miss or be delected away from the cams 41 and 43 andcontinue to move longitudinally. A rack, so deflected will come intocontact with the switch arm 137 and force it against a safety switch 141positioned immediately adjacent thereto. The safety switch 141 isadapted to turn off the apparatus when the switch arm 137 comes intocontact with it. When the deflected raclt is removed, the switch arm 137will return to its normal position and the apparatus may be startedagain.

An aperture 143 is formed in the wall of the tray 45 opposite the openside of the tray adjacent to the bed 37. A micro-switch 145 ispositioned to project through* the aperture 143. When enough racks havebeen collected by the cams 41 and 43 to till the tray 45I the first rackcollected will be forced into contact with the microswitch 145 shuttingoft" the apparatus. The iilled tray 45 may then be removed, thusreleasing the micro-switch 145, an empty tray put in its place and theapparatus re-started. The tray 45 has handles aiiixed to the twoopposite walls 135 thereof, serving both to facilitate handling of thetray 45 and to allow a plurality of such trays to be stacked on top ofeach other without danger of slippage between contiguous trays.

Operation The operation of the apparatus of this embodiment of theinvention may be best understood by tracing the racks 29 through theapparatus. A plurality of the racks .29 are placed into the magazine 27which will be empty except for one rack which is left in the magazine 27due to the action of the magazine switch 67. Other racks will be in endto end Contact along the bed. When the coil winding machine 11 isstarted the pincher arm 19 will travel to the wire holding device 17 andgrasp the wire projecting therefrom. The motion of the pincher arm 19will be transmitted by the turnbuckle 69 to the pawl 71 causing it toslip over and engage another tooth on the ratchet wheel 73. As thepincher arm 19 moves back trailing a length of wire 21 across the coilwinding die 23 its motion will again be transmitted to the pawl 71 bythe turnbuckle 69 causing the pawl 71 to turn the ratchet wheel 73through an arc of predetermined length.

The rotation of the ratchet wheel 73 will 'be transmitted through thebevel gears 77 and 79 to the gear wheels 33 and 35 which will move therack in the magazine 27 and those on the bed 37 a distance equal to thedistance 39 between the centers of the recesses 55 in the racks 29, therack in the magazine 27 and the rack immediately preceding it beingdriven by actual contact with the gear wheels 33 and 35. The remainderof the racks on the bed are pushed along by the motion of such racks incontact with the gear wheels 33 and 35.

The racks 27 then remain a-t rest while the coil winding mandrel 25forces the length of wire 21 through the coil winding die 23 forming acoil 47 which drops into the drop tube 39. The drop tube 39 guides thecoil 47 into the empty recess which is now located directly thereunder.The spring loaded vertical guide rollers maintain the positioning of theracks while the coil is being dropped into each empty recess as Itheyare brought under the drop tube 39. The pincher arm 19 again travelsover to grasp the projecting Wire and the process is repeated bringinganother empty recess under the drop tubes 39.

The above described intermittent motion of the racks 29 continues,pulling the rack left in the magazine 27 out from under the racks placedon top of it and allowing the bottom one of such racks to take itsplace. The horizontal guide rollers 97 and the horizontal channel guiderollers 99 prevent the racks 29 from buckling against each other as theypush or are pushed by other racks 29 along the bed 37.

At the same time, the rack that was on the portion of the bed 38adjacent to the rack collecting and storing mechanism is brought into'contact with the first cam 41 causing it to rotate, such rotation beingtransmitted to the second learn 43 by the chain and sprocket system 121connecting the two and pushing any preceding racks into the tray 45. Therack 125 continues to move, after rotating the first cam 41 to aposition where it no longer receives rotation from the rack 125, andcomes into contact with the second cam 43 causing it to rotate. Thelrotation of the second cam 43 is transmitted back to the first cam 41which is forced against the rack 125, moving it laterally unltil itloses contact with the end of the rack succeeding it.

The succeeding rack then repeats the travel that has just been describedwith respect to the rack preceding it, the preceding rack being pushedinto the tray 45 thereby. When the tray 45 is tilled with racks themicro-switch 145 associated with the tray 45 will be depressed and theapparatus shut off. The apparatus will also be shut off by the magazineswitch 67 if the number of racks 29 in the magazine 27 is reduced toone.

It should be understood that the operation described proceedsintermittently in accordance with the longitudinal motion imparted toItlre racks 29 by the gear wheels 33 and 35.

Should one of the racks 29 be deected and not come into conta'ct withthe cams 41 and 43 properly so that a rack 125 continues to movelongitudinally without rotating the cams 41 and 43, it will icome intocontact with a switch arm 37 associated with the tray 45. The switch arm137 will be forced against a safety switch 41, thus shutting off theapparatus until the deflected rack is removed.

If a coil 47 fails Ito pass through the drop tube 39 properly because itdoes not conform to certain maximum tolerances and becomes lodgedtherein other coils will lodge against it and the drop tube 39 will befilled with coils 47. However, when enough coils 47 have lodged in thedrop tube 39 to provide an electrical path between the metallic upperend 109 of the insulating tube 107 and the metallic inner tube 105 analarm will be set off and the apparatus will beautomatically shut off byan electrical device `connected between the terminal 119on the metallicupper end -109 of the insulating ltube 107 and the inner tube 105 of thedrop tube 39. When the drop tube 39 is cleared of lodged coils theapparatus maybe re-started and will operate as before,

The many advantages and applications of this invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art from the above description of one embodimentthereof. This invention is not confined to the embodiment that has beendescribed in detail here, but is equally applicable to a great number ofautomatic operations in which it is desirable to receive each finishedproduct *thereof individually and in spaced and protected array.

What is claimed is: v

l. Apparatus for automatically racking Icoiled structures comprisingamcoil winding machine, a plurality of elongated coil receiving racks, amagazine for containing said racks, means for moving said plurality ofcoil receiving racks longitudinally along apredetermined path from saidmagazine -and into operative relation with said coil winding machine,means for collecting said coil receiving racks after said ra'cks havereceived coils comprising two cams spaced from each other along saidpath and actuated solely by said motion of said racks,and means foractuating said moving means in timed relation to the operation of saidcoil winding machine,

2. `Apparatus for receiving workpieces comprising a plurality ofelongated workpiece receiving means, means for moving each of saidworkpiece receiving means longitudinally in a predetermined path, andmeans for collecting said workpiece receiving means icomprising twodeiecting` members spaced fromeach other along said path and actuated todeflect said workpiece receiving means solely by the longitudinal motionof said workpiece receiving means.

3. Apparatus for receiving articles comprising a plurality of articlereceiving means, said article receiving means comprising bars havingrecesses in one surface thereof for accommodating said articles, anothersurface of said bars being adapted 'to receive motivation for said bars;means for applying motive power to said other surface of said bars formoving said bars in a predetermined path; and means for collecting saidbars at the end of said path, said means for collecting said barscomprising two cams spaced from each other along said path and actuatedsolely by said motion of said bars.

4. Apparatus for receiving articles comprising a plu- 10 rality of barseach having recesses in one side surface thereof for accommodating saidarticles and gear teeth in the opposite side surface thereof forreceiving motivation for said bars; a reservoir containing saidplurality of bars with said gear teeth extending downward; meansincluding a gear wheel for engaging said gear teeth and applying saidmotivation to each of said plurality of bars in succession for movingsaid bars in a predetermined path from said reservoir in end-to-endrelationship; and means for collecting said bars after they havereceived articles, said means for collecting said bars comprising twocams spaced from each other along said path and actuated solely by saidmotion of said bars.

5. Apparatus `for receiving workpieces comprising: a plurality of barseach having recesses in one side` surface for accommodating saidworkpieces and gear teeth in the opposite side surface; a magazinecontaining said bars, with said gear teeth extending downward, invertically extending array, said magazine being adapted to allow thebottom one of said bars of said vertically extending array to movelongitudinally; a gear Wheel engaging said gear teeth in said lowersurface of said bottom one of said bars in said vertically extendingarray; means for rotating said gear wheel to move `said bottom one ofsaid bars of said vertically extending array longitudinally out fromunder the other said bars in said vertically extending array; means forguiding said bars in a predetermined path in end-to-end relationship;and means for collecting said bars after they have traversed saidpredetermined path, said means for collecting said bars comprising twocams spaced from each other along said path and actuated solely by saidmotion of said bars..

6, Apparatus for automatically receiving workpieces comprising: aplurality of bars each having recesses in one side surface foraccommodating said workpieces and gear teeth in the opposite sidesurfaces; a magazine containing said bars, with said gear teethextending downward and in vertically extending array, said magazinebeing adapted to allow the bottom bar of said vertically extendingarrayto move longitudinally out from under said vertically extending array,another of said bars taking the place of said bottom bar; agear wheelpositioned to engage said gear teeth in said lower surfaces of thebottom bar of said vertically extending array; means for rotating saidgear wheel to move the bottom bar of said vertically extending 4arraylongitudinally in a predetermined path in end to end relationship with`previous bottom bars whereby said previous bottom bars are moved insaid path; and means `for collecting said bars after they have traversedsaid pathcomprising two cams spaced from each other along said pathactuated solely by said motion of said bars.

7. Apparatus for automatically receiving workpieces comprising: aplurality of bars each having regularly spaced recesses in one sidesurface for accommodating said workpieces and gear teeth in the`opposite side surface; a magazine containing said bars with said gearteeth extending downward and in vertically extending array, saidmagazine being adapted to allow the bottom bar of said`verticallyextending array to move longitudinally out from under saidvertically extending array, another of said bars taking the place ofsaid bottom bar; a gear Wheel positioned to engage said gear teeth inthe bottom bar of said vertically extending array; means forintermittently rotating said gear wheel to impart intermittentlongitudinal motion to the bottom bar of said vertically exending`array, said longitudinal motion occurring in in crements equal to thedistance between said regularly recurring recesses in said side surfaceof said bars; means for guiding said bars in a predetermined path in endto end relationship; and means for collecting said bars after they havetraversed said path, said means for collecting said bars comprising twocams spaced from each other along said path and actuated solely by saidlongitudinal motion of said bars.

8.*Apparatus' for automatically receiving workpieces comprising: aplurality of bars each having regularly spaced recesses in one sidesurface for accommodating said workpieces and gear teeth in the oppositeside surface; a magazinewcontaining said bars, with said gear teethextending downward, in vertically extending array; said magazine beingadapted to allow the bottom bar of said vertically extending array tomove longitudinally out from under said vertically extending array,another of said bars taking the place of said bottom bar; a gear wheelpositioned to engage said gear teeth in the bottom bar ofsaid-vertically extending array; means for intermittently rotating saidgear to impart intermittent longitudinal motion to' the bottom bar ofsaid vertically extending 'array, said longiudinal motion-occurring inincrements equal to the'distance between said regularly recurringVrecesses in said surface of said bars; means for guidingsaid bars in apredetermined path in end-to-end relationship; means for collectingysaid bars after they have traversed said path, said means'tor collectingsaid bars being actuated solely by said motion of said bars andcomprising a rst cam and a second cam in spaced relationship to eachotherand operatively/positioned adjacent said predeterminedpath, saidiirst cam and said secondy cam being mechanically connected to rotate inunison, the active surfaces of said cams being adapted to transmutesaid' longitudinal motion of said bars into lateral motion of said bars,and a tray for receiving said bars in operative relation to saidpredetermined path such that the bars will entersaid tray laterally.

9. Apparatus for receiving workpieces comprising: a plurality ofworkpiece receiving means; means for moving each of said pluralityofworkpiece receiving means longi tudinally along a predetermined path;and means for collecting each of said plurality of workpiece receivingmeans, said means for collectingV said workpiece receiving'meanscomprising two cams rotatably mounted along said predetermined path,said'cams being spaced from each other a distance less than the lengthof said workpiece receiving means and being mechanically connected torotate in unison, each of said plurality of workpiece receiving meanscoming into contact with each ofvsaid twocam wheels in turn impartingrotation to both of said cam wheels, said rotation of said camsimparting lateral movement to each of said plurality workpiece receivingmeans; and a tray for receiving each of said plurality of workpiecereceiving means as they are moved laterally by said cam wheels, saidmeans for collecting said work-` piece receiving means being actuatedsolely by said motion of said workpiece receiving means.

l0. In apparatus forfreceiving workpieces in which a racking meansincludes at least two elongated racks movable longitudinally, theimprovement comprising a collecting means for successively collectingsaid racks, said collecting means including a track for-said racks, twocams spaced from each other along said track,` said cams being mountedfor synchronous rotation in angles normal to saidtrack, each of saidcams having two identical lobes disposed oppositely of each other abouttheaxis of said cams, each of said lobes of each of said cams CII having'a surface adapted tov receive motion Afrom Vsaid racks when said racksare moved longitudinally along said track and another surface adapted toimpart motion to said racks at a right angle to said longitudinal motionof said racks, said cams being oriented with'respect to each other suchthat when one of said cams is receiving motion the other of said cams isimparting motion, said cams being actuated solely by said longitudinalmotion of said racks.

1l. Apparatus for receiving workpieces comprising at least two elongatedracks movable in a longitudinal direction along a track and means forsuccessively collecting said racks including a iirst cam and a secondcam spaced from each other along said track a distance less than thelength of said racks, each of said cams having two identical lobesdisposed oppositely from each other about the axis of said cams, saidaxis of said cams being perpendicular to the surface of said track alongwhich said racks move and being oriented with respect to said track suchthat said lobes of said cams may project thereover, said cams beingmechanically interconnected for synchronous rotation, each of said lobesof said cams having a surface for receiving motion and a surface forimparting motion, said receiving surface of said rst cam comprising anarc of a circle and said surface for imparting motion of said tirst camcomprising an are of a circle, said receiving surface of said second`cam being rectilinear and said surface for imparting motion of saidsecond cam comprising arcs of two circles having diterent radii combinedto form a continuous surface, whereby said cams alternately receivemotion from the longitudinal movement of the racks while imparting aminimum of lateral motion to said racks and impart lateral motion tosaid racks with a minimum of longitudinal motion, said cams beingactuated solely by the longitudinal motion of said racks.

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